State of the Union Address LIVE: Middle Class Front and Center in Tonight's SOTU

Obama's SOTU address tonight will focus on principles and specific proposals to protect the livelihood and improving opportunity for the middle class.  A recent Gallup poll indicates that more Americans self-identify as middle class (42%) than any other socioeconomic status.  These Americans have felt a squeeze over the past few decades, even before the 2009 financial crisis. The 2011 census concluded that the 60 percent of households making between roughly $200,000 and $101,000 per year earned 46.6 of all income. In 1990, the same population earned over 50% of income.  In fact, the rich have been getting richer and the middle class making less since the late 1970’s.  Tonight, Obama has the opportunity to put this squeeze in perspective and promote fresh thinking about the way our economy is governed.